Pinboard assembly



March 23, 1965 G TRUMP 3,175,179

PINBOARD ASSEMBLY Filed May 31. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROBERT G.TRuMP March 23, 1965 TRUMP PINBOARD ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1962 m0 m m P 0%00000000 mm 0 000000000 m 000000000000 0 000000000000 me 000000000000 1 000000000000 m wwwwwwmmvw$ w R @0000000000 08 Y 000000000000 B M OmwOO Mm United States Patent 3,175,179 PINBOARD ASSEMBLY Robert G. Trump, Hershey, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 198,839 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-18) This invention relates to an improved pinboard assembly of the type utilized to interconnect electric circuits or to insert electronic components in electric circuits.

To answer the need for a compact and inexpensive connecting device capable of connecting or disconnecting a relatively large number of separate electrical paths or electronic components within such paths, there has been developed a device which is generically termed a pinboard. Typical pinboard devices may be found in Patent No. 2,922,135 to Hoberg et al. and in Patent No. 3,027,534 to S. I. Deakin.

Consumer experience with pinboards of this general type has indicated that in certain applications there is a need for a pinboard construction which is sturdier and more durable than those heretofore available. Other experience has shown that one of the most frequent causes of pinboard assembly failure is due to misalignment of contacts resulting in either total failure of connection or in the inability of an operator to insert a pin within a given pinboard aperture. Heretofore, connecting devices of high reliability and low internal resistance have not been of the usual pinboard construction but have included complex and expensive assemblies of components manu factured to a close tolerance.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a compact pinboard assembly of sturdy but inexpensive construction.

It is another object of invention to provide an improved pinboard matrix of high reliability capable of providing low resistance electrical paths between circuits or components to be connected.

It is still another object of invention to provide a multiple electrical contact path matrix having a novel input and output arrangement.

It is yet'another object of invention to provide an improved pinboard construction capable of a simplified assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spring type contact arrangement more readily facilitating pin insertion.

It is a still further feature of the invention to provide a novel input and output contact construction for pinboards.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing the assembly of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation of the assembly as shown in FIGURE 1 taken along lines 2-2;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the assembly shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2;

3,175,179 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 FIGURE 4 is a perspective of two multiple contact Strips having a pin inserted therebetween showing one possible connection available with the assembly of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a central section of a single contact member;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken along lines 6-6 of FIG URE 5; and

FIGURES 7 and 8 are plan views of the outer insulation members of the assembly of the invention oriented to show the arrangement of apertures therein.

As will be apparent from the Hoberg et al. and Deakin patents above mentioned, the pinboard device may be utilized to interconnect a plurality of electrical circuits or, alternatively, it may be utilized to insert electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes and the like within circuit paths. FIGURE 1 of the present application shows an embodiment adapted for use with either of these applications and including a number of additional capabilities. The unit of FIGURE 1 includes upper and lower insulating board members 12 and 14 held together by rivets 16 placed at each corner of the board. The member 12 includes a matrix of apertures 18 aligned to position one or a number of pins 70 which may be inserted therethrough. The board member 14 includes a number of apertures capable of positioning a plurality of input leads 30 and output leads in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. As is apparent in FIGURE 1, the board members 12 and 14 are relatively thick and it is through this thickness that the sturdiness of the assembly is achieved. As will be apparent from FIGURE 2, the packaging portions of the assembly of the invention further include a filler member 60 captivated by the outer board members. The filler member 60 and the board members 12 and 14 may be comprised of any suitable hard insulating material; plastics of the phenolic resin type being suitable. While the assembly here described shows one hundred contact point capability, it is contemplated that the assembly of the invention may be manufactured in various sizes, ranging from ten to several thousand contact points utilizing the same three insulating board sandwich construction. 1

Considering the detailed construction of the individual board members, it will be apparent that the upper member 12 as shown in FIGURE 8 includes a matrix of onehundred matrix contact pockets, each comprised of a passage of a first diameter 32 extending well within the board member and axially aligned with a passage 30 completing a passage through the member. Surrounding the centrally disposed matrix are forty additional pockets, such as 28, which do not pass through the board member and which, of course, are not visible from the outer surface of member 12. The lower board member 14 includes an array of pockets spaced to complement the pockets of member 12 but arranged in a reverse sense with the inner matrix including pockets such as 34 not passing through the board member and peripherally disposed pockets such as 22-26 passing through the board member. In large scale production the members 12 and 14 may be manufactured by molding processes and in limited production runs the members 12 and 14 may be manufactured by machining phenolic board stock. Both board members may be treated identically by drilling the rivet holes 17 and the pockets in the larger diameter such as 34 and 26 or 32 and 28 followed by separate step drilling the smaller diameter apertures such as 22 and 30.

In the embodiment disclosed the various pockets and apertures are shown as circular. It is contemplated that if the board members be molded rather than drilled the pocket members can be other shapes with a complementary change in the shape of the pin members.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, the components of the 'pinboard assembly of the invention are shown in detail. Disposed in the peripherally positioned pockets of the board members are input-output contact members such as 46 comprised of a stepped cylinder of conductive material having an outer diameter at one end sufficient to form a Wedge fit with the larger diameter of the board member pockets and a smaller diameter extending to the other end adapted to form a wedge fit with the apertures in the filler board member 60. The input-output contact 'members include an oppositely tapered passage tapering outwardly from the center of the member and adapted to receive a taper pin from either end. As shown in FIG- URE 2-, the left contact member 46 includes one taper 54, disposed in the portion engaging the upper board member 12 and another taper 52 extending into the board member 14 and adapted to receive the taper pin 82 electrically connecting the member 46 with the conductor 30. Each of the peripherally disposed pockets along opposite edges of the board members, such as the pockets 24 and 26 shown in FIGURE 7, contain input- 'output contact members such as 46 thus providing a flexibility of twenty possible input connections through twenty conductors such as 8!), or, permitting jumpering to an adjacent pinboard. Referring again to FIGURE 2, it is to be noted that the contact member 46 engages the contact strip 44 at point C through a contact finger 45, thereby completing a connection from conductor 89 to each of the other contact fingers 45 integral with the contact member 44. An identical connection is made at'the opposite'edge o'f the contact assembly through the right input-output contact member 46.

The peripherally disposed pockets extending along. on posite edges of the pinboard assembly at right angles to the pockets shown in FIGURE 2, each contain contact output members similar to 46 but reversely oriented with respect to the 'board members 12 and 14. In FIGURE 3, the contact member 92 is shown with the larger diameter portion of the contact memberinserted in board member 14. Inserted with member 92 is a taper pin 91 adapted to connect a conductive path through the conductor 96 to contact member 64'thereby interconnecting ten matrix contact fingers as in the manner above described.

The input-output contact members 46 serve the additional function of aiding in the assembly alignment of the various insulating board members and adding considerably to'tlie overall rigidity of the unit. The inputoutput members 46 effectively interlock the upper board member 12 with the filler membertl and the members 92 effectively interlock the lower board member 14 with the member 60 and thereby with the upper board member -12. Rivets 16 serve to retain the insulating board member sandwich andtend to lock the input-output contact membcrsragainst the filler member and'the beveled portion of the pocket members within the board members.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the contact strips are shown in the orientation contemplated by the invention. :The lowercontact member, which nests within the pockets of the lower board member 14, is comprised of a stamped and formed conductor material such as fine grain brass .plated with'a corrosion resistant metal and includes a ,base portion 44 and a plurality of spaced contact fingers 45, forming in cross-section, a generally U-shaped contact. Each finger member 45 is oriented with the open part of the -U directed downwardly with respect'to the insertion of a pin. The complementary contact fingers 61 of contact member '62 are oriented upwardly. This arrangement simplifies insertion of pin members since the lips 63, in conjunction with the circular shape of the fingers, act to positionandali-gn the pin for proper insertion.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, a typical contact finger member is shown to include an aperture 59 positioned to permit passage of the pin member 76 into contact with the individual fingers 54 and 56 along the inner surface of the U shaped contact fingers. Each finger includes 4 a rounded portion 58 which, as is shown in FIGURE 6 serves to increase the contact area with the pin member 76 from the bare point contact as taught in the prior art to a multi-point contact extending in a line substantially around the circumference of the pin 76.

Referring now to the particular embodiment of the pin member 70 shown in FIGURES 2, 4, 5 and 6, there is included an upper portion 73 comprised of an insulating jacket and a shaft portion comprised of one conductor 74, an insulating ring portion 72 and another conductor 76. The conductor 76 is disposed coaxially within conductor 74 and separated by insulation in the form of a sleeve extending therebetween. Within the insulating casing 73 may be disposed any desired electrical or electronic component such as a resistor, capacitor, transistor or the like. The leads from such component may then be connected to the conductors 74 and 76 which in turn operate to connect the component between the contact members disposed in the upper board and lower boards and thereby to an input-output contact member such as 46 and 92. In certain instances wherein it is desirable to merely complete an electrical path or to make a simple connection, such as jumpering to an adjacent pinboard, the pin member shafts may be comprised of a solid piece of any suitable conductor material. In other uses of the pinboard assembly, single or multiple conductor pins may be inserted in lieu of a pin '70.

In an alternate embodiment the pin member 70 may be interconnected by a common conductor whereby two or more pin members are patched together to form a bussing arrangement between rows of contact members or between pinboards.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying'drawings is offered by Way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their properperspective against the prior art.

I claim:

1. In an assembly for contact members the combination including upper, lower and intermediate board members retained in a sandwich construction by rivet members; the upper board member including an inner array of apertured pockets substantially surrounded by nonapertured pockets; the intermediate board member in: cluding an array of apertures aligned with each of the pockets of the upper board member; the lower board members including an inner array of non-apertured pockets and peripherally disposed'apertured pockets axially aligned with the apertures of the intermediate member, a set of conductive strips disposed between the upper and intermediate members and a set of conductive strips disposed between the lower and intermediate members, each said strip including a member of U-shaped spring fingers extending outwardly into the board member pockets and free therefrom for unrestricted movement to accommodate conductor pins inserted in said assembly through aligned pockets of said upper and lower members.

2. In an assembly for contact members the combination including upper, lower and intermediate board members retained in a sandwich construction by holding means; the upper board member including an inner array of pockets housing contact spring members and of a diameter to permit said spring members to be deflected outwardly by the insertion of a conductive pin member therein, the said inner array of pockets including on an upper face of the said upper member and integral'th'erewith an aperture smaller than said pocket diameter and approximating the diameter of the pin member to be inserted Within said pocket, a line of further pockets disposed on the periphery of said inner array of pockets, said further pockets being covered by the material of said upper board member on the upper face thereof; the intermediate board member including an array of apertures aligned with each of the pockets of the upper board member; the lower board member including an inner array of pockets aligned with the upper array of pockets of the upper member, each of said inner array of pockets of the lower board member being covered by the material of the lower member on the outer face thereof, a line of further pockets disposed on the periphery of the inner array of pockets of the lower board member and each including an aperture leading from the outer face of said lower member into said further pockets; the apertures in the upper board member serving to provide access for the insertion of conductive pin members to establish an interconnection pattern within the assembly and the apertures in the lower board member serving to accommodate input and output leads to said assembly.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein there is disposed in the peripheral pockets of the upper and lower members a conductive member having a diameter substantially that of the pocket so as to be Wedge-fitted therein, and a further portion of a narrow diameter inserted through the aperture of said intermediate board member and extending into the opposing pocket of the opposite member to receive an input or output lead to said assembly,

the said conductive members serving to align and hold said intermediate member relative to said upper and lower members.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the conductive member is comprised of a stepped cylinder having an internal bore shaped to receive and hold a contact member connected to an input or output lead.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,003 8/26 Downing. 1,946,889 2/34 Wessel 339-18 2,613,287 10/52 Geiger 33918 X 2,752,580 6/56 Shewmaker 33918 2,922,135 1/60 Hoberg et al. 33918 2,949,641 8/60 Quackenbush. 2,958,845 11/60 Dupre et al. 339273 X 2,967,285 1/61 Freitas 33918 3,027,534 3/62 Deakin 339-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,105 4/40 Great Britain.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, ALBERT H. KAMPE, Examiners. 

1. IN AN ASSEMBLY FOR CONTACT MEMBERS THE COMBINATION INCLUDING UPPER, LOWER AND INTERMEDIATE BOARD MEMBERS RETAINED IN A SANDWICH CONSTRUCTION BY RIVET MEMBERS; THE UPPER BOARD MEMBER INCLUDING AN INNER ARRAY OF APERTURED POCKETS SUBSTANTIALLY SURROUNDED BY NONAPERTURED POCKETS; THE INTERMEDIATE BOARD MEMBER INCLUDING AN ARRAY OF APERTURES ALIGNED WITH EACH OF THE POCKETS OF THE UPPER BOARD MEMBER; THE LOWER BOARD MEMBERS INCLUDING AN INNER ARRAY OF NON-APERTURED POCKETS AND PERIPHERALLY DISPOSED APERTURED POCKETS AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE APERTURES OF THE INTERMEDIATE MEMBER, A SET OF CONDUCTIVE STRIPS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE UPPER AND INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS AND A SET OF CONDUCTIVE STRIPS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE LOWER AND INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS, EACH SAID STRIP INCLUDING A MEMBER OF U-SHAPED SPRING FINGERS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY INTO THE BOARD MEMBER POCKETS AND FREE THEREFROM FOR UNRESTRICTED MOVEMENT TO ACCOMMODATE CONDUCTOR PINS INSERTED IN SAID ASSEMBLY THROUGH ALIGNED POCKETS OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER MEMBERS. 